He Always Knows
by Incomparable-Insanity
Summary: - And it is then, when her mask is broken and shattered, that he will take her for what she truly is. A woman who made mistakes, mistakes anyone could've made. And mistakes only he could possibly erase. And that he knew, he knew all along. - Rod/Bella.


A short one-shot about how Rodolphus always seemed to know things. How things would work out. Stuff.

Disclaimer: Once again, the disclaimer is on the link itself. . :D

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**He Always Knows**

"Rodolphus! The Dark Lord, Rodolphus!" Bellatrix was positively beaming, her hands clenched as if her happiness could not be contained...for Dark Wizards, of course, they would find it an honour to serve under the Dark Lord Voldemort. "He will brand us his most loyal, Rodolphus!" she added, looking at him.

Rodolphus fixed her with a look that completely said he was agreeing with her. He let out a sigh and propped a hand onto the table. "Of course he will," he told her calmly, looking up into her dark eyes. There was always something in her dark orbs that was somewhat quite compelling.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed again, "Rodolphus, if you keep sighing like that I would think you've been hanging around with..._Lucius_." His wife said, the name of her brother-in-law coming out in a hiss. She glared a foot above Rodolphus' head and after a while, her face softened the slightest bit.

Rodolphus was sure that what Bellatrix had said was not a lie, that they had really been branded the Dark Lord's most loyal...

...And so it was, on the night the Dark Lord vanished, three days after his most loyal along with Rabastan and Barty Crouch Jr set off. Rodolphus was not a man of hatred, he was not even quite sure if he was that inclined in the Dark Arts, or if he really did love it. But that was not the case, Bellatrix had wanted revenge. She had wanted to torture a family who did no wrong to them – aside from being in the Order. And where Bellatrix was, Rodolphus would follow. Because he knew things others did not, specifically, he knew things about Bellatrix others, even Bellatrix herself, did not know.

She was cackling like a mad woman, her wand pointed at the woman who was Alice Longbottom. She kept slashing her wand at them, "Crucio! Crucio! _CRUCIO!_" Rodolphus knew it was not going to end well...he knew because he always did.

"Bella," Rodolphus tried to get through her, but it was no use, Bellatrix was already too deep into her act, a few more seconds and the Longbottom woman would break. And then, just as he assumed, she broke into a howl of pain and he was sure that she had lost it. Her husband was done and the only thing left was their little child.

Bellatrix lowered her wand, her face unreadable and looked up. Her curly dark hair had gotten into her face and with a swift motion, as if wind had just passed, she flipped it back onto her shoulders, she even looked quite demented as she did so – well, more than usual.

Because Rodolphus knew things like these, he also knew that the strain was something Bellatrix could not handle. She had started to lower her wand, her hands shaking. Her face was tilted forwards, the hair she had swept back creating a dark curtain that would hide her face.

Rabastan looked at his brother, opened his mouth but then Rodolphus shook his head; Rabastan took that as a cue to go out front with the Barty kid, to watch out for any danger that would come to them.

Once his brother's footsteps had died down, Bellatrix collapsed. She fell to her knees, her wand dropped and her pale and skinny fingers clutching at the carpet, her nails probably digging, trying to tear the fabric apart.

Rodolphus placed a hand on her shoulder, and it was quite obvious, even before he did so, that she was shaking like mad. He could hear the contained sobs, her choking noises at all her attempts and then a gasp. He knelt down beside her and tried to peer through the dark curtain of her hair but his attempt was put to vain.

Bellatrix shook her head more vigorously and her nails scraped the floor. She finally looked up at him, her face strained with tears, her eyes red-rimmed. She choked at her own words and threatened to fall forward – knowing that it would happen; Rodolphus grasped her shoulders and held her firmly and securely. "Bellatrix," he started to speak but she started talking, not the arrogant jeer she associated with the others but the kind of tone she spoke to him.

"I can't do this," she whispered, shaking her head. "It's all...so...wrong..." she added in a strained whisper. And through the sobs Rodolphus could tell that she was breaking and cracking under it all. A bony hand clutched at Rodolphus' arm and she looked him in the eyes. "They are coming. The Aurors are coming, Rodolphus."

"I know," Rodolphus said in that same calm tone.

"The bloody Aurors, Rodolphus! They're coming! Go! Now!" She demanded of him, her free hand pointing at the door.

"I cannot," Rodolphus said the tone still as calm as if they were discussing a quite boring topic over tea. "I will not go without you."

"No. I've already told you, I can't do this." Bellatrix now muttered, "I'll stay here. So leave now. Take Rabastan and Crouch."

"Then I will not go anywhere. They can go, but I'm going to stay."

"Are you mad? They'll send us to Azkaban!"

"That thought is quite exhilarating, at least it's us and not just you, then." He cracked a smile and Bellatrix stood up, in the process picking up her wand.

"Don't you get it?"

"I quite get it, Bella."

"Then go. Now, Rodolphus."

"What is the point of my fleeing when you won't be running along with me, then?"

"I've told you twice already; I can't do this anymore. I'm damned." Bellatrix clenched her fist, her nails digging into her own hand; she could feel the blood slowly dripping down.

Rodolphus had never heard her talk like this – and he was certain that it was _the_ Bellatrix he came to know. Not the stuck up and arrogant Bellatrix others saw.

"Then it will be two graves that will be dug tonight, then." Rodolphus laughed quietly, and then sighed. He had stood up with Bellatrix, his hands still on her shoulders. She was still so cold, her hands shivering, she leaned her head forwards, her forehead touching with his. He brought her closer to himself and as she clutched at his robes with her fingers he could hear the Apparating Aurors in the vicinity.

Rabastan and Barty were trying to fend them off; green jets of light were reflected on the mirrors, and then a cry of pain. Rabastan could be heard screaming outside, his spells ruthless. It was Barty that had fallen first.

"You've made mistakes, Bellatrix. Mistakes anybody could've made." Rodolphus whispered into her ear, they did not let go of each other, and her tears were falling onto his robes. The door burst open and there stood Mad-Eye Moody, his nose bleeding yet his wand pointed at them. He cast a quick look at their discarded wands and their forms, the two Death Eater couples holding on to each other.

Rodolphus knows Bellatrix had made mistakes. And he knows that she has suffered greatly, that the mistakes she had made were just that – just mistakes. Mistakes anyone could've made. Mistakes that possibly cannot be erased but mended or eased up. Because he knows that she's regretted them and regret is always the first step to the right path...and that certain right path Bellatrix hoped she was walking was led by Rodolphus.

Rodolphus who knew it all, who knew that this would happen, who knew her, inside and out. Who knew the real Bellatrix Black-Lestrange. Because he knew who he married...he knew what kind of woman Bellatrix was. He knew who he loved.

He always did.


End file.
